Question

In 1912, Alfred Wegener observed that the coastlines of countries separated by oceans looked like they fit together. He hypothesized that they must have once been connected. He collected evidence to support this hypothesis. He found mountains of the same age and fossils of the same animals on different continents separated by water. Why were his findings not enough to make his conclusion a valid theory? Write only 1-2 sentences.

Answer 1

Wegener's findings lacked a definitive mechanism to explain how continents could move apart, as he could not propose a plausible force or process behind continental drift, leading to skepticism within the scientific community. Additionally, the prevailing geological theories of the time did not support his hypothesis, which further hindered its acceptance.